Suddenly
by drinktea
Summary: I stood at the corner of the champagne table, a selfproclaimed loner. ReTi.
1. Who Are You With?

  
  
_Disclaimer: Ugh, I hate these things. I don't own 'em._   
  
Sakura-Angel: Okay, I wrote this a few weeks ago and was deciding if I should post it or not, so I figured, oh why not? The title sucks in my opinion. Anyway.   
  
**

Suddenly

**   
  
I stood alone at the corner of the champagne table, a self-proclaimed loner.   
  
I didn't really want to be there, among the too proud bigshots of the corporate world in a dress that seemed... not me. It didn't feel right, you know? It didn't feel right standing there for everyone to see. I could feel their eyes, scrutinizing my outfit, my bearing, my obvious lack of a date.   
  
I guess I could've gotten _ someone _ to come with me, it wasn't like I didn't have eyes. I knew guys wanted to go out with the ever-elusive Tifa Lockheart, but I just couldn't put it out of my mind that they only wanted to because I was part of AVALANCHE, the rebel faction turned saviors of the planet.   
  
Hm, actually, the only reason I was invited was because I was a part of AVALANCHE. Turns out saving the world really _ is _ all it's cut out to be.   
  
Besides, the only one I really wanted to go with was a certain blonde, and we had just come as friends. My patience was wearing down. Wasn't he ever going to get it?   
  
The band finished the swing song with a flourish, the couples seperating to clap politely.   
  
I saw Yuffie and a sulky Cloud standing side by side, Cloud obviously sulky because Yuffie was just too persistent when it came to social events. I remember how surprised I was when I saw her bounding up to the two of us when the song started, insisting that he be her partner. He looked at me, an apologetic look in his eyes as she dragged him off, and I just smiled and nodded.   
  
"So, why aren't you with Strife?"   
  
I whirled around, very surprised at the semi-sultry voice in my ear. Unfortunately, the person hadn't fully pulled away from my ear yet, so my nose hit his rather agressively and I felt my hair sting his eyes.   
  
"Damn woman, are you _ still _ trying to kill me?" the voice turned irritable and the normally upbeat, vivacious man rubbed his nose and blinked his eyes multiple times, clearly cross.   
  
I had a chance to see his face now, a muted rage evident on his admittedly attractive features.   
  
I had a biting remark poised on the tip of my tongue, but decided not to rouse the former Turk anymore than I already had. "Sorry," I replied resignedly.   
  
He glared at me a little and I felt his jade eyes scrutinizing me, as everyone else's had tonight.   
  
I stared back, taking in his new suit, this time black with a blue shirt inside instead of the usual white shirt and navy blue blazer. He still didn't bother with buttoning up his shirt properly or doing his hair, but I have to admit that he just wasn't him without a bit of disorganization.   
  
We stood there for awhile as the next song started, a slow one, getting funny looks from pretty much everyone who passed by. We made a pretty strange pair, I knew.   
  
He reached around me, cheek brushing disconcertingly close to my bare arm, to grab what was probably his seventh glass of champagne.   
  
I saw him down his champagne, treating it like it was a shot. It was pretty clear that downing everything in one gulp was the only method of alcohol consumption he was familiar with.   
  
"What?" He looked at me, amusement and mock annoyance spread across his face.   
  
I turned quickly away, slightly embarassed that he caught me staring and felt an unwelcome heat on my cheeks. "Nothing."   
  
I felt him reach around me again as he switched an empty glass with a full one.   
  
His voice reached my ears again. "You know, you didn't answer my question."   
  
My eyes searched slowly for any friend I could talk to. I wasn't exactly comfortable in the presence of a man who'd tried to kill me numerous times and I the same to him. "What question?" I asked distractedly, taking note of Vincent, who was cornered by a young chatterbox.   
  
"Where's Strife? Aren't you with him?"   
  
I turned my head around, former task completely forgotten, and my ruby eyes met his unearthly green. "No."   
  
"Oh," he looked up at the ornate chandelier. "Strife must be blind then, huh?"   
  
"I... I don't know what you're talking about," I said in an attempt to drop the subject.   
  
Reno looked at me incredulously and swirled what was left of his champagne in the glass. "Aw come on, even I can see that you're crazy about him and he's walking around blind, like he can't see that you're head over heels for him."   
  
I looked up at him with a sort of surprised expression. He could see it from only a few short meetings? He suddenly spoke up, reading my mind.   
  
"I'm a pro. I can see these things. You know, potential weaknesses in battle and whatever."   
  
I nodded stiffly, feeling naïve.   
  
The agonizingly slow song ended with a single dying note and the couples seperated, only to come together again as an even slower song started up.   
  
A black, tailored arm was suddenly at my side and I looked up, taken by surprise again.   
  
"Care to dance?" His eyes sparked, old Turk charm resurfacing.   
  
I couldn't help smiling. Well... I hadn't accepted any offers yet tonight based on that 'savior of the planet' theory, but here was Reno, an old enemy, obviously not offering because I was 'that AVALANCHE girl', but just because I was me. I glanced at his arm, still poised and waiting, and then back at his expectant smirk.   
  
"Yeah."   
  
And he led me through the crowd to the dancefloor.   
  



	2. Dance With Me?

  
  
_Disclaimer: I OWN FFVII! ... not._  
  
Sakura-Angel: Ta-da! The second part of 'Suddenly'! I decided to make this piece a double drabble because of all the friendly prodding. It's done in Reno's POV this time.  
  
**

Suddenly

**  
  
I grinned and led her towards the dancefloor. Once we reached the densely populated area, she slipped her arm out of mine and turned to face me, a strange sparkle in her eye.  
  
I couldn't help smiling back at her. "Now, what's that look for?"  
  
Her eyes warmed, and her smile grew ever so slightly. "Nothing."  
  
I just shook my head a little and took a step closer to her, my arms slipping easily around her slim waist.  
  
She slung both of her arms around my neck and the feel of her skin against mine sent an unexpected chill through my body. I stiffened involuntarily. What was _that_? Maybe I'd had too much champagne? Nah, definetely wasn't that. I guess all those adolescent pervs were right... Tifa Lockheart was really something.  
  
We started moving a little lethargically to the smooth beat. Her hair swayed a little, stirring up her perfume. It smelled like... some intoxicating combination of jasmine and lilies. But hey, I'm no expert when it comes to that stuff.  
  
"So... why are you here?" her head tilted a little to the side, an inquisitive look gracing her face.  
  
I averted my gaze temporarily and looked thoughtful. "I dunno. I guess these suits invited me to smooth things over. You don't really want to be on the bad side of an assassin after all."  
  
Her head jerked back slightly and she looked at me seriously. "You still call yourself that?" She was no doubt put off by the sudden realization that she was dancing with a murderer.  
  
I blinked at her, surprised she hadn't stopped moving in that slow circle in tandem with me. "Yeah. You can't just rid yourself of the title of Turk so easily."  
  
She didn't say anything.  
  
Maybe it was stupid to have asked her to dance. I'm not the type to doubt my own actions, but being around this girl... it was strange. She had a past as sullied and broken as mine, and she still managed to stay relatively happy. She still had this naïve trust lingering about her. Her eyes weren't hard or half-dead. She wasn't jagged or sharp. She wasn't so corrupt that her actions would haunt her forever.  
  
I chanced a look at her wine coloured eyes.  
  
Or... was she?  
  
It didn't matter. It made me uneasy, being around this trusting a person. Maybe I should just...  
  
I felt her place her head against my shoulder.  
  
Huh. She was relaxing around me. Imagine that. This simple movement that totally showed she trusted me... would've put me off even more normally. But... it somehow erased my doubt.  
  
I don't know. I just felt this tension between us when we were chatting by the loner's table. At least that's what I called it. And now... if you didn't know any better and were just scanning the room casually, you'd think we were actually _familiar _with each other. Which we weren't.  
  
Which was rather unfortunate. She was just too hung up on that Strife guy. She deserved to be have a little fun. And that was why I'd asked her to dance, right? ... Right? Ah, I'd rather not delve deeper and discover some ulterior motive. That stuff just gets a guy in trouble.  
  
Her head suddenly lifted and she gave a shake of her head to get her hair out of her eyes.  
  
I hadn't even noticed that the song was over.  
  
"Reno?" her arms withdrew from where they hung before, around my neck, and moved to hold my shoulders.  
  
I couldn't push away the slight hint of disappointment I felt at the end of the song, but I prodded her with a nod of my head and my deceptively bright eyes.  
  
"... Thanks," she said a bit shyly.  
  
I ditched the contemplative side of me and just grinned in the way that I knew would make her blush even more. It was cute seeing that little swoon. "For what?"  
  
Her hands fell, and she looked away briefly. But she quickly turned back to face me. "For the dance. It really... helped."  
  
"Ah," I winked at her. "No problem," and I turned around, stuffed my hands in my pockets, and made plans to get back to the loner's table and down some more alcohol. Alcohol could erase that weird pang in my gut, couldn't it?  
  
A livelier tune started up and her voice drifted back to me. "I'm really thankful. If there's anything I can do for you, just ask."  
  
The feeling left me and my eyebrow went up. I turned around, taking my left hand out of my pocket and extending it toward her in one swift motion. "How about..." I smirked in my signature way, "Another dance?"  
  



End file.
